We Live In Public and The Revolution

Last week we watched the documentary called “We Live in Public.” This documentary made me think about things that I never really considered before. I never would have thought about how I would act in an environment where EVERYTHING I did was being recorded and people were purposely trying to break me. I probably never considered this because I would not choose to put myself in a situation like this one. I like my live to be private. Therefore, living it in public would not really make sense.

I think that Josh Harris is a very smart man. I also believe that sometimes people are too smart for their own good. Sometimes people are so smart that they are strange. These strange people have brilliant minds and create brilliant things, but there comes a point where the brilliance gets lost in the insanity. I believe that that is the case with Josh Harris. He had great ideas and he was always doing things before the rest of the world was ready for them. He was innovative and creative and he was always ready to start something new. I also believe that sometimes you can be so smart that you do stupid things. Sometimes you’re so smart that you forget about the value of other human being and you begin to purely see how you can use them for your own gain and benefit. I think that when someone gets to this level, it needs to somehow be contained and controlled.

I don’t think that his experiment with everyone living in public should have been legal. This was an environment where people were pushed to their mental and emotional limits and they had access to guns 24/7? That does not make any sense to me. At any time, someone could have snapped and killed every person in there. I also do not understand how the people doing the evaluations and providing security felt morally right doing the job that they were doing. I could not make myself do those types of things to another human being. It was sad. There was no value for human life. People began to lose their self respect and dignity. In addition, in this experiment, there was a child under the age of 13. I do not agree with this at all. In class, Dr. R said how is it different from a child being on the internet or on a social networking site. It is different because parents can control what their children see online. They can monitor them and place restrictions on certain websites. When everything is being broadcast, from sex to defecating, there is no control over what the child is exposed to. This should have been considered child endangerment. Seeing these types of things at a young age can cause serious psychological problems for the child in the future and they could have trouble having normal relationships with people. This was supposed to be a short entry so I will stop my rant on that topic now.

On the topic of The Feminist Movement, I was enlightened hearing about the debate between Dr. R, her colleagues, and Shayne Lee. I was surprised by Shayne Lee’s lack of professionalism and tact. I was embarrassed that this intellectual black man would stoop to such a level. I was impressed with the way Dr. R handled things and I was proud that she was my professor. Many times people get so caught up in emotions that they cannot have a truly intellectual debate or argument without attacking the other person or people (i.e. Shayne Lee).  Dr. R was able to do this in a very tactful way. I also enjoyed hearing Sarah Jones’s “Your Revolution.” It is amazing that the things she was talking about then are still an issue today. It makes me wonder…is it ever going to change?

Make-Up Post for March 23

I missed class on March 23 because I was in St. Louis for the National Society of Black Engineers National Convention. I missed the speaker that we had that week so I am going to post about my trip and how it relates to what we study in class.

Technology was used in several ways on this trip. To get to the convention, we had to register online and pay our money online. We left for St. Louis at 5 in the morning, and to get everyone coordinated we used cell phones to call and text one another. During the convention, we kept up with everyone using Twitter, texting and mass text messaging. Also, when we met new people we told them to follow us on Twitter. One of us would give out our Twitter name or receive a Twitter name and we would all find everyone from there. One night, we wanted to go to IHOP, but we didn’t know where it was so I looked it up on Google Maps on my phone and got the directions from there. After a session one morning we were hungry but did not know where to go and get food. One of the guys used his phone and found a deli that was not far from where we were. This location was great because it was very cold and it even snowed two days that we were there

Not only did we use technology for social networking and getting directions, but also during the different informational sessions, PowerPoint and Excel were used to explain things and provide information in a format that was easy to comprehend.

While in St. Louis, I had an English paper and assignment due. The only way that I could turn them in was online. The internet in the hotel was not reliable, however. So I emailed my professor from my phone and asked if I could turn my assignments in when I got back on campus because I was having technical difficulties at the hotel. Luckily my phone has email and I could use the 3G connection instead of relying on a wireless frequency.

This shows how much we depend on technology in our daily lives. We use our cell phones not only for social reasons, but also to get directions, do homework, and find the resources that we need to survive. We will be able to keep up with the different people we met because we added them on FaceBook and followed them on Twitter. When we go to the convention next year, we will be able to find the people we met and meet up with them again by using social media. Obviously, without the internet I could not complete my assignments for school either. There is a strong dependence on the internet to do our daily activities and keep up with the way the world is evolving socially. 

Copyright in the Digital Age

I enjoyed watching "Copyright Criminals" in class last Wednesday. It elaborated on many things that I already knew about and some that I had never though of before. Some of my opinions and positions will we expressed in the answers to the questions below.


1. In your opinion, is sampling a form of copyright infringement? Explain your position.

No, in my opinion, sampling is not a form of copyright infringement as long as the person whose work is being sampled receives payment. If the person does not receive any sort of compensation, then I do not think it is fair. The artists should be honored that someone felt their work was so good, or influential, that they want to use parts of it over again. 

4. Does repurposing a piece of music always have a detrimental effect on the way the original recording is perceived? Does it always cut into the profits of the owner of the original recording? Why or why not?

No, repurposing a piece of music does not always have a detrimental effect on the way the original recording is perceived. In fact, repurposing a piece of music would likely have a positive effect on the original recording's perception. For example, in 2003, Kanye West released a song called "Through the Wire."

In this song, he sampled Chaka Khan's song "Through the Fire" that was released in 1985. 

Most people already knew Chaka Khan's song, but if you did not, after finding out about it, people listened to it. In addition, when the original song comes on the radio, it feels like you know that song too because you have heard different parts of it before. As a result, people are singing along to songs that they never would have known without another artist sampling the song. Many times, when people figure out that part of a song came from an older song, they download it or YouTube it so they can hear what the original sounded like. This would actually increase the profits of the owner the original recording. In addition, if the song was not that good before, someone else using it is not going to hurt the sales because the sales were not good in the first place.

7. Do legal actions against sampling limit the exposure of artists whose work is sampled or do these actions protect the artists’ interests? Explain why you feel that way.

I feel that legal actions against sampling limit the exposure of artists whose work is sampled. I feel this way because when an artist samples another artist's work, he or she brings popularity to it. If a song is sampled that was once popular, but has since been forgotten about, then that song will regain some popularity. If people never mentioned old songs, sampled old songs, remixed old songs, or remade old songs, then the songs would likely be forgotten about as a whole. Sometimes, when an artist even mentions another song it makes the listener go find that song and listen to it again. Legal actions against sampling are not helping artists; in many ways, they are hindering them.

Sources for Final Assignment

Sources:
1. Friedman, Megan. "How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Tweet The Ways - 10 Ideas That Will Change the World
- TIME." Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews -  TIME.com. 17 Mar. 2011. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2059521_2059716_2059709,00.html>
Thesis and key quote: "Yet technology can smooth the course of true love, whether it helps find it, nurture it or, if need be, end it."


The argument was supported by telling how technology makes it easier to find love. It states that the internet cuts out the small talk. It also talks about how you can be picky with the different people and look them up online before you really decide to talk to them. In addition, it talks about how online dating makes dating easier for people who do not have a lot of free time.

"Before you even go on your first date, you can Google and Facebook your potential love to your heart's content to make sure she's not hiding any skeletons."


"Technology just cuts out the small talk, letting you know if your partner is the right one for you."

2.Baker, Brandon. "Brandon Baker: Use of Online Dating Sites Makes Ritual Less Romantic." The Temple News. 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://temple-news.com/2011/03/22/brandon-baker-use-of-online-dating-sites-makes-ritual-less-romantic/>.
3. Pracz, Alyssa. "Internet Dating Has More Potential Risks than Benefits - Northern Star Online: Columnists." Northern Star Online: The Future of News Now. 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://northernstar.info/opinion/columnists/article_1e6b893e-54f0-11e0-ab2c-0017a4a78c22.html>


Thesis and Key Quote: "Just because you can now shop, order food, work and talk to your friends online does not mean you should also start using the Internet for dating."


This article says that the internet dating is overrated and is unsafe.It states that most people lie about their height, income, sexuality, and they use misleading pictures of themselves. The article goes on to state that people might not be that concerned about your income, but they will be upset that you were lying to them from the very beginning of the relationship and it will be hard to establish trust in the relationship. The article presents an example of internet dating gone wrong, where a woman is scammed out of money, as another reason people should stick to face-to-face interaction. It also says that dating online can be the cause of mixed signals because you cannot read the other person's body language or facial expressions.


" But in a world that is becoming increasingly reliant on technology and communication happens less and less in real life, the traditional way of meeting people remains to be the best way to form long-lasting, meaningful romantic relationships."


"The whole idea of dating someone is to get to know that person well enough to establish a real connection that could possibly develop into a relationship."


4. Yadegaran, Jessica. "Study Says Cyberspace Is Segregated, but Interracial Couples Still Thrive."Vancouver Sun. 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Study says cyberspace segregated interracial couples still thrive/4477262/story.html>
5. Rivas, Jorge. "Cyber Dating: Whites Get Messages; Blacks and Latinos Get Split Verbs."COLORLINES. 16 Mar. 2011. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/03/online_dating_users_like_to_flirt_with_their_own_kind.html>.
6. Zyga, Lisa. "Online Dating: Where Technology and Evolution Collide." PhysOrg.com - Science News, Technology, Physics, Nanotechnology, Space Science, Earth Science, Medicine. 26 June 2008. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://www.physorg.com/news133696958.html>
7. "The Evolution of Dating: Match.com and Chadwick Martin Bailey Behavioral Studies Uncover a Fundamental Shift." The CMB Research Blog. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://blog.cmbinfo.com/press-center-content/bid/46915/The-Evolution-of-Dating-Match-com-and-Chadwick-Martin-Bailey-Behavioral-Studies-Uncover-a-Fundamental-Shift>
8. "About EHarmony -- #1 Trusted Relationship Site." EHarmony #1 Trusted Singles Online Dating Site – More than Personals. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://www.eharmony.com/about/eharmony>
9. "About Match.com Dating." Match.com® | The Leading Online Dating Site for Singles & Personals. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://www.match.com/help/aboutus.aspx?lid=4>
10. Taussig, Alex. "Why Isn't Higher Education More like Online Dating? - Fortune Finance." Fortune Finance: Hedge Funds, Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Wall Street, Washington. 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/03/21/why-isnt-higher-education-more-like-online-dating/?section=magazines_fortune>

The Internet's Impact on the Dating World

The article “Digital Dating and Virtual Relating: Conceptualizing Computer Mediated Romantic Relationships” talks about the internet’s “striking evolution from its modest beginnings in the 1960s as a medium to connect academic institutions and eventually American defensive facilities in the event of war.” “What was once understood as a valuable component of American national security has blossomed into an international social microcosm, where online communities are created, social networks thrive, business transactions occur, future marital partners are found…” (Wysocki). The internet has truly changed, or evolved, from what it was first meant to be. It can accomplish so much more than what was originally thought.

The article’s main point is to show the different ways that technology is influencing how people relate to one another in building romantic relationships. Also, the article introduces computer mediated relationships, or CMRs, by providing the history of the internet, explaining the difference between CMRs and face-to-face relationships, explaining the trouble that practitioners might have with this new generation of relationships and things they need to look for, and it suggests that further research be done on the topic. The author supports the claim about practitioners by stating, “family professionals should be aware that those who primarily engage in CMR may lack the life skills necessary to maintain a long-term face-to-face or marital relationship” (Merkle 2000). The claim about the history of the internet it supported by the facts stated about the Cold War and by telling that, in the year the article was published, more than half of the households in the US had at least one computer in their homes. The statement, “…it is probably not surprising that, in many respects, such relationships [CMR’s] could be viewed as being at variance with the face-to-face relationship because they represent a developmental and behavioral sequence far removed from customary methods of finding attraction and intimacy with another person.” supports the claim about face-to-face relationships and CMRs. Some quotes that I think will be beneficial to me in the future are:

“As Western society continues to accelerate its pace, free time becomes more of a scarcity, and individuals strive to balance multiple roles and responsibilities, people are finding themselves thrust into a position where they must find non-conventional avenues for social interaction such as the Internet” (Merkle 1999).

“Relationships that previously were established and sustained primarily through face-to-face interaction have come to be complemented by a social technology that is creating a new genre of interpersonal relationships.”

and

“Americans are, in general, a very affable people who are among the most technology-loving cultures in the world. Because of this mutual interest in technology and socializing, he believes that American Internet users have exploited the Internet (as well as other modern technological devices) as a social medium as much as a technological innovation.”

Merkle, E. R. and Richardson, R. A. (2000), Digital Dating and Virtual Relating:

Conceptualizing Computer Mediated Romantic Relationships. Family Relations, 49: 

187–192. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3729.2000.00187.x

Merkle, E. R. (1999) Romance in the era of technology: An examination of the effects of

propinquity and self-disclosure on intimacy within computer mediated relationships. Unpublished master's thesis. Kent State University.

Wysocki, D. K. (1998) Let your fingers do the talking: Sex on an adult chatline. 

Sexualities, 1, 425–452.

Catfish

After watching the movie Catfish, I found it very odd that Nev did not find it strange that everyone had the same 15 friends. Angela created 16 profiles. I assuming that each of those 16 profiles had many, if not all, of the same 15 friends. I would have found it strange. When someone adds me on Facebook and they do not have very many friends, I tend to see that as a red flag. Not that there aren’t people who do not have a lot of Facebook friends, but I find it unusual that someone I do not know that only has 35 friends would also know me, a girl from a small town and a small private school. Maybe Nev was not thinking this way (but I bet he does now). Maybe Angela added random people on Facebook to get her friend count up on the different profiles. If she did, however, she risked her lie being found out. If she friended someone who actually knew the girl in the picture she used, she would have been found out.

I do not feel that Nev necessarily had to be desperate, lonely, or desperately lonely for him to like Angela’s “daughter.” He did not go out intending to find a girl to love on Facebook. But even if he did, so what!? We cannot control whom we love or how we fall in love. I do not think it is fair to label him in these ways. Just because he was attractive, it does not mean that the women he attracted were what he wanted in a companion. Attractive people do not meet other attractive people and say, “Hey, let’s fall in love because we’re both very attractive.” Attractive people are looking for substance just like most other people. There are plenty of good-looking single people in the world. There are also plenty of good-looking people on online dating sites. I do not see anything wrong with that. If the people you have met and who you are around do not meet your standards, why settle for less? I would rather find love online than never find love at all. I am not saying trust everyone you meet online blindly because that just does not make sense. Use discretion. Nev probably thought he was doing so, but because Angela’s story was so elaborate, he just got caught up in it.

Random Thought

I always write my blog posts in Microsoft Word before I post them on here, and I have noticed that Word recognizes the word MySpace, but not the word Facebook. I just found it ironic that the platform that is no longer used is the one that Microsoft recognizes as a legitimate word. Below is an example from my blog post last week:

Targeted Advertising

I was watching Glee on Hulu today, and I thought about our week on Media Consumption and the BBC's Virtual Revolution. When the commercials were played, in the top right corner it asked if the ads were relevant to what I was watching, and I could vote yes or no.

Then, after I voted, it thanked me and said it was trying to improve my ad experience.

Companies are trying to make the ads we view while watching online episodes relevant to what we are actually watching. This makes sense to me because if the ad is relevant, I am more likely to pay attention to it. If I am watching Glee, and an ad about John Deere tractors comes on I'm going to ignore it and wonder why they chose THAT ad to put on during Glee. On the other hand, if I am watching Glee and an ad for a dancing video game comes on, I will pay attention because I can see its relevance. If I have to view ads, they might as well make sense with what I am watching, right? :)

Thanks for caring Hulu!

MySpace's Impact on Society

MySpace makes you create a version of yourself to share with others. It forces you to think about how you want to appear to other people. On one hand, you do not have to depict yourself the way you really are, as our in-class activity showed. You can be whoever you want to be on MySpace. On the other hand, if you really want to be yourself you are free to do so. However, you are faced with several questions. How much of your true self are you willing to share? If you do not share everything is it really you? If you leave significant pieces of information out, are you truly being you? Or are you hiding who you are? MySpace allows you to create whatever kind of identity you want.

The real world results of people using MySpace range from extremely positive to extremely negative. On the positive side, some musicians were discovered on MySpace. One person who was discovered after MySpace popularity was Cassie. 

Ryan Leslie, a producer, encouraged Cassie to make a MySpace page to promote her music. Fans discovered her MySpace page and it began to gain instant popularity. Because of her popularity, different music labels wanted to sign her. Diddy, the founder and CEO of Bad Boy Entertainment, saw the popularity her page was gaining and he teamed with Leslie to release her album, according to TMZ. Leslie produced the album and Diddy signed on as the executive producer, which can be seen here.
The negative results of MySpace are often seen in the news. People, particularly teens, have been bullied and have committed suicide as a result of MySpace.

I even read a story about someone who posted their suicide note on MySpace before they killed themselves. After doing so, his friends began posting things about him and saying that his death could have been prevented. These are the types of things that make me wonder is MySpace and social networking sites are good for society. Our lives are at stake here. People are going to jail, losing jobs, and killing themselves because of this site. It is not worth it. No website is worth losing everything that matters. I do not even understand how people can live with themselves after harassing someone else online, especially if it causes that person to take their own life. They must not have a conscience or any feelings. People need to realize that their actions online have real, serious consequences. Maybe then people will see how real this virtual reality can be.

After reading, “Social Networking Websites: Are MySpace and Facebook the Fingerprints of the Twenty-first Century?” by Edward M. Marsico Jr., I have learned that people do very stupid things online. I cannot even comprehend why someone would post pictures of themselves online holding guns and displaying gun paraphernalia. I am, and have always been, dumbfounded by this. The picture is obviously incriminating and tells the police that you are in a gang. If you are in a gang, more than likely you are talking about some gang related activities on your page, which just provides more evidence for the police to use against you. If you create your online identity as a gang member and you really are a gang member and you are networking with other gang members, the police are probably going to figure that out. It is almost like criminals are getting dumber. They are not even trying to cover their tracks anymore. I guess they think because it is an online social networking site is it not real. They are most definitely wrong.

After reading “MySpace and Facebook: Identifying Dimensions of Uses and Gratifications for Friend Networking Sites” by Jennifer Bonds-Raacke & John Raacke, I learned that people really want to understand why social networking sites are so popular. I find it interesting that when something becomes popular people cannot just be content with the fact that it is popular they want to know WHY. Reading this text confirms what I already know and what we have already talked about in class about the fact that people want to feel connected and they spend a lot of time on social networking sites. In order to have these sites, people have to created some sort of identity. Even if that identity does not include your picture and each thing you did throughout the day. Someone’s identity includes the pages they like and the activities they have listed. Each part of Facebook and MySpace no matter how big or small, contribute to your identity. One day, people might totally understand social networking, but I think sometimes people should just be content and not question everything that is popular. I know this is never going to happen though. We crave explanations for everything we do.

The BBC's Virtual Revolution

I learned a lot from watching episodes three and four of The BBC’s Virtual Revolution and I found a lot of interesting things. I was not aware that West Point makes learning about the world wide web a part of their curriculum. I thought that was very interesting and did not think about the fact that the people in the military need to be especially aware of the dangers lurking on the web. I also liked the point that was made about how a company might be named one thing today, but tomorrow it might by something entirely different. Things happen so fast online that your bank can be at wachovia.com one day and the next it can be wellsfargo.com.

Episode three also allowed me to get a better understanding of what a cookie is and does. Cookies pretty much tell companies what I search for and what I am interested in so that they can target me with specific ads for my taste. I do not mind this, but I can see how some people would think that was an invasion of privacy.

Another point I thought was interesting was that Google made their money by offering customers a free service, whereas companies like Microsoft made a profit by selling products to users. I like that Google uses their ads in a noninvasive was and they are related to your search terms.

Episode 4 poses many interesting questions, for instance, the true value of our Facebook friendships. When offered free food, people were willing to get rid of 10 friends instantly. Why be friends with someone if they are that expendable? You would rather have a free sandwich than a friendship. Yes, the friendship dissolution is virtual, but it speaks to how you feel about a person in reality.

The issues that South Korea are having are very interesting and seems very extreme. I did not realize people were becoming so obsessed that they were developing psychological problems and needing to be hospitalized and receive medication. It is a scary thought that they could be the future of the United States.

The most striking quote that I heard was about how my generation and the generations younger than me are growing up. The man says we grow up expecting to find information at a moment’s notice. What does that do to our ability to internalize information? This is a very interesting point. Do instantaneous answers hinder us, or help us. Only time will tell.

MySpace & Pimpn A Profile

MySpace, or “my_______,” is a social networking website based in Beverly Hills, California. MySpace was launched in August of 2003. It was originally meant to be an online data storage and sharing site, but by 2004, it had made a transition from a virtual storage site to a social networking site.

Was MySpace cool? The simple answer to that question is yes. Is MySpace cool? Conversely, the simple answer to that question is no. MySpace was cool from its launch up until about April of 2008. In April of 2008, Facebook began to take over social networking with the new features it was launching. MySpace was the most popular social networking site in June of 2006, but in 2008, it dropped to number 56 in site ranking while Facebook rose to the number two spot.

I got a MySpace “back in the day” when it was cool. I used it to talk to friends, meet new people, reconnect with people I had not seen since elementary school, and share my pictures with others. I would not consider my MySpace profile “pimped out.”

 However, as seen above, I did have a purple leopard background and I had the MySpace music played filled with songs that I liked at the time (below).









Now that I think about it, I also used MySpace to stay up-to-date with what music was popular. I would look at other people’s profiles and see what songs they had, and if I liked them, I would download them for myself. But back to the point, I do not consider my profile “pimped out” because there were not flashing animated graphics or anything of that nature. My layout was very simple, but still cute :).

From touring the site, I learned that many things had changed. I did not even know how to navigate the site well anymore. I was attempting to delete something off of my profile, but when I went to edit it I was asked if I wanted to change to the new profile; I did not even feel like messing with it so I just left everything the way it was.

On the homepage of the site, there were games you could play and current events.  I saw an article about the fashion from the Grammys, which occurred only a few days ago. The homepage also said that thousands of people were sharing what they were into right then, but ironically, I had zero friends online at the time. It was 12:45 AM, a time when most college students are still awake and browsing the web, but no one was on.

 I also noticed that MySpace now has a “Highlights” feature that is very similar to Facebook’s News Feed and the whole premise of Twitter. I think that because of MySpace’s dwindling popularity, they are trying to use methods of sites that are known to be popular in an attempt to re-popularize their site.

Overall, I do not miss MySpace. Like many relationships, it was good while it lasted. I often ask myself why I haven’t deleted my MySpace yet and I have an idea of why. I think I might have a sentimental connection to it. About four years ago, I met an amazing person on MySpace who is now my confidant and best friend. I can’t see my life without this person so thank you MySpace. You will always hold a special place in my heart, even though I never log on :)

YouTube: What is it?

YouTube is a place to: connect and communicate with others through videos, learn new things, share one’s life with the world or family and friends, make your dreams come true, be discovered, be yourself, or be someone else. It “allow[s] you to post a video which might incidentally change the course of history” (11).

YouTube functions in many different ways. If someone misses a performance from an award show, they can view it on YouTube.

People can watch music videos and listen to music on YouTube. “The music channels … are able to deliver both music and videos, providing something like MTV-on-demand with a few bonuses" (31).  It is easier to get on YouTube and find exactly what you want to watch than to wait for it to come on television. If someone wants to re-watch a commercial, they can search for it and watch it as many times as they would like on YouTube. Here is one of my favorites:

YouTube is more than just entertainment. YouTube also functions as a "how-to” guide for a variety of subjects. 

Many teachers and professors use YouTube videos to help students get a better understanding of different concepts. I had a class where we had to submit our projects for extra credit to YouTube. A select group of lucky (or unlucky) people gain recognition as a result of YouTube.

Their videos get popular and then news shows begin to air them and sometimes music producers take note of aspiring musicians. Opinions can be expressed on YouTube in comments and in the posts themselves. People often take it upon themselves to post a video review of products they have bought (hair products, cell phone cases, electronics).

On YouTube, people can be whomever they choose to be. They can create a completely new identity and virtual life that is very different from reality.

I think that sharing so much of one’s life on a public video channel is appropriate for some people and in some cases. Personally, I like to keep most aspects of my life private.  However, for some people, exposing their lives to others is exciting and fun. Some people thrive off others being interested in them (reality television). People need to think twice before posting certain things. Some things can come back to haunt you. Jobs can be lost or not be received because of something controversial on a
YouTube channel. Also, after posting something, it is the property of YouTube and they can do whatever they want with it.

I do not watch videos on YouTube very often or embed them on Facebook. I do not do so because I never know what to search for or how to find something interesting to watch. I usually only get on YouTube when I am looking for something specific. I watched the most YouTube in high school because my classmates would get on YouTube during yearbook and show me funny stuff that they had found. I never understood how they found such funny videos. When I get on YouTube, I never think, “That video looks interesting, maybe I should watch it.” I get on YouTube for a reason and when I am done, I get off.

I think that YouTube is useful, entertaining, and valuable. I think that it being useful make sit valuable. The number of things to be learned from YouTube varies in very large amounts. Below is a video that my psychology professor showed last week:

In addition, it allows people to take a step back from reality, relax, and indulge into something entertaining. Like this video of this adorable baby:

Snickars, Pelle, and Patrick Vonderau. The YouTube Reader. Stockholm: National Library of
          Sweden, 2009. Print.

Creative Portrait

I chose this symbol of a dancer because I did ballet from ages 3-11. Then, I joined the danceline in the 7th grade. In the 9th grade, I was named co-captain. For the next 3 years of high school, I was the captain. The feeling of dancing in front of hundreds of people is like no other. I'm not much of a public speaker, but I loved feeling the rush of getting out on the field or court or stage and hearing people screaming my name and cheering us on. I love to dance. It makes me happy, and I feel free. There's nothing like it.

I chose this picture of me putting up the peace sign because:

1. I really liked my fingernail polish haha (yes, those are my real nails)

and

2. I'm a strong believer in peace. I think the world needs more peace. Not to sound cliché, but it's true. If there was peace in the world, people wouldn't have to be afraid to walk down the street alone, children wouldn't get kidnapped, people wouldn't be raped or abused...the world would be more fun to live in. I think some people convince themselves that bad things don't happen, that is, until they do. Anyway, I didn't mean to say that much, but peace, love, and happiness! :)